Beercrocombe History Notes

MONMOUTH REBELLION 1685

At sometime around the Monmouth Rebellion 2 pages of the Beercrocombe register were cut out so that the paths of family fortunes are lost to us.

The only known rebel was William Lewis who the Constables reported as being "out in the Rebellion". The Constables often did not report on those already known to be dead or in custody, and there is no list of who died in the battle.

So what happened to all the Allen men folk? 

Richard born 1622-aged 63 at the time of the Rising, had severaI sons, probably from two marriages. Were Richard, aged 35, John 28, Robert 19, Francis 18 & even Thomas aged 14 to be found amongst those Allens listed as being transported to the sugar plantations in the West Indies?

No Allens appear in the next Register in 1703.

Robert Day had married Abigail Collier in 1664 and had sons Robert and John who would have been 19 & 18. John Day certainly went to America and we have the history of his family out there. [ One branch of his line married into the family that eventually begat President Richard Nixon!]

John Collier-probably Abigail's older brother-and his wife had girls in 1653 & 56. A John Collier is listed as not being included in the General Pardon of 1685/6.

Many of these families were Quakers and would have been against popish King James and his repression of them. A new life in America beckoned.

Henry Virgin was baptised in 1660, as was Robert Paul. Did the two friends march off together with their Pitchforks? A Henry Virgin was "presented and bound over at Wells".

What of Robert Paul?  He was 25 in 1685.  Did he follow the drum? Was he the Robert Paul of IIton who died at sea on a transport ship or was he the Robert Paul "of Stocklinch" brought back for burial in Beercrocombe in 1716 when he would have been 56?

Certainly Paul's in Stocklinch & Ilminster suffered badly then and 2 young men emigrated to America in September 1685 just 2 months after the Battle at Sedgemoor.

It is hard to believe that Monmouth's Army rode past through Ashill and no one else followed them. Only William Loding was reported "absent" from Curry Mallet and none in Hatch Beauchamp, yet several went from Ashill, West Hatch, Iiton and Isle Abbots.

Did no others follow the drum or did they still have bad memories of the Civil War and kept clear of another battle? 

Or is it simply that the Constables did not report those already taken? More research, possibly of West Indies records, is needed!

Was it Alexander Pinney baptised in 1634 in Beercrocombe who at Wells Assizes was "remaining in Custody for want of evidence"? The Pinneys or Pynnes had been in the Parish since 1545 at least. They also farmed a lot of land in neighbouring Isle Abbots and were prominent there. Nathaniel the son of their rector Robert Pinney, was known locally to have been involved.

Christopher Masters of West Hatch was transported, John Masters tried and hanged.

Were they sons of the big family that had been in Beercrocombe up until 1641 at least? The father was called Christopher but there is no record of an eldest son of that name as was usual, and none have burial records here.

Incidentally in 1731 Ann Lewis widow [of Ilminster] was buried. Was she the wife of the missing William? She would have been perhaps 66/70 by then. A search in the Disbursement Books --the Parish charity, might reveal more.

Information is from The Monmouth Rebels' by W. McD. Wigfield. There are copies in the Somerset Records Office & Taunton Library Resources Section.